Mendocino: Lots of Festivities to Offer in December!!

I really enjoyed my last trip to Mendocino and will most likely be covering their upcoming Crab & Wine days, so I want to share their upcoming holiday events with all of you. There's a lot of festivities happening in December!

This Holiday Season in Mendocino County, CA, the First Annual “Festive Fortnight” will showcase Twinkling Lights, Sparkling Events, Dazzling Deals, Glittering Galleries and Fabulous Food and Wine.

From December 1st – 14th, lodging properties, wineries, retail stores, restaurants, local attractions and more will offer incredible, holiday-themed deals and special incentives that will make Mendocino County the place to get in the spirit of the Holiday Season! These 14 days were chosen to coincide with the extremely popular Candlelight Inn Tour, held all along the Mendocino Coast, and the Festival of Lights celebration at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. Other events of note that happen every year during the first half of December include the Tree Lighting at the Kelley House and the Guest House Museum, the Lighted Truck Parade, the Winter Concert of the College of the Redwoods Community Chorus, the Ukiah Holiday Trolley, the Sing-a-long Messiah at the Mendocino Presbyterian Church and many more.

Here’s a sampling of some of the county-wide specials that visitors can enjoy during the 14-day “Festive Fortnight”:

LODGING
Stay one night, get the second free at participating properties
-- or --
20—50% off of regular rates at participating properties

RETAIL
10—20% off of items purchased at a variety of retail outlets, including clothing stores, bookshops, jewelry stores, art galleries, bakeries, hotel gift shops, toy stores and more!

WINERIES
15—30% off of purchases made in participating tasting rooms

RESTAURANTS
Free appetizer with purchase of entrée at participating restaurants
-- or --
10% off of menu items, excluding alcohol, at participating restaurants

OTHER
10% off bicycle, kayak and canoe rentals at participating businesses

For specific information regarding all deals, discounts, specials and events that will take place during the “Festive Fortnight” celebration, please visit www.festivemendocino.com.

To add to the holiday cheer, the entire county will be “lit up” during the month of December – enjoy festive lights all along Main Street in Mendocino Village, in downtown Fort Bragg and Ukiah, and throughout wine country, along scenic Highway 128.

Candlelight Inn Tour
The 23rd Annual Mendocino Coast Candlelight Inn Tour showcases the magical sights, sounds and smells and general festiveness of the holiday season, and benefit celebration will run Thursday, December 8 through Sunday, December 11, 2011. This charming winter event features food, music, and merriment for visitors and residents alike. On Thursday, December 8, tours and refreshments will be offered by the Inns of Mendocino. Friday, December 9, will feature the Inns and Lodges of Fort Bragg. Saturday, December 10, will highlight Inns of Albion and Little River. Following each of these nights, there will be an Encore Event, featuring local musical performers at venues in each town. Sunday, December 11, the Inns of Elk will offer tours and activities. $25 per person, $10 for youth. For more information go to http://mendocinoinntour.com or call (707) 964-1228

Festival of Lights
The Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens, a beautiful 47-acre seaside haven on the north Mendocino Coast, takes on a nighttime personality when Festival of Lights makes a return appearance from December 2nd – 11th. In this rural community where the nights are truly dark, tens of thousands of twinkling lights transform Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens into a blossoming winter wonderland to create a magical mood for the holiday. Majestic tall trees are dressed in tiny, colorful lights while the understory beds bloom with ‘flowers of lights’. Children of all ages, 1 to 100, can stroll along the garden pathways and be dazzled by the floral light displays.

http://www.gardenbythesea.org or (707) 964-4352

About Mendocino County
Gourmet restaurants that feature locally-sourced ingredients, unique lodging establishments, picturesque villages, friendly wineries, majestic redwoods and the rugged seaside all await you in Mendocino County. The County boasts a longstanding tradition of coming together as a community and creating an environment where visitors will encounter friendly faces, tranquil surroundings and the delicious seafood and wine bounty of the region.

For more information about Mendocino County, please call 866-466-3636 (866-GO-MENDO), or visit www.visitmendocino.com.